Let me preface this report with a favor I promised to a very angry dude in Chicago. When you search United processing THEY DO NOT HAVE AN 800 NUMBER. The 800 number that comes up on Google search is for an investigator in Chicago. EVERYONE needs to stop calling them. I had to talk the guy down a bit and call him on his non toll free number to clarify things. When you search for United Processing make sure you are calling the 904-723-3175 number. With that out of the way, on to the business at hand.
Phone calls started about a year ago, mainly to my employer (at the time an elementary school) there would be between 3 and 5 calls per week. While in the classroom during instruction time I couldn't drop what I was doing and take a call. Mind you during this time most of my family was getting calls too. My in laws, brother, parents etc. It all escalated when the secretary walked into my room and told me there was a person on the phone that was going to have me arrested if I did not talk to them IMMEDIATELY. I took the call and was give no information on the account they were trying to collect on, and was given the typical "2 hours" to pay or I was gonna be hauled off to jail. I told them I would have to call back after work and please not to call again at that number.
After school I placed a call and talked to the "supervisor" and I got the whole run around about how much of a dirt bag I was for writing bad checks (first clue as to what the call was about BTW) and then I was given the whole "I'm gonna have you arrested" and "I'll see you in court you POS" line. I was blown away that a "company" as they call themselves would talk to a person like that. I then got on line and did some research about UP and found about a hundred blogs about the very same thing. People being put out of their house and missing important bills because they thought the threat was valid.
Next I called the local sheriff and spoke with someone in the financial crimes division and got a good laugh out of the detective. He informed me to call UP back and provide them with his number and have them directly call the investigator to address why a collection agency was violating Fair Collection laws and threatening arrest. I called UP back and tried to be as professional as possible with the guy and informed him that I had talked to the Sheriff. He took the number and then said "fine buddy, call me in 24 hours and tell me where you're at. Your a* is going to jail". I shrugged and hung up on him.
A good month and a half went by and I got a call from my brother. He had received a call from UP (for the 20th time) and had already asked not to be contacted again (yet another violation of Fair Collections laws) and they told him "your brother can have his lawyer call us if he wants to resolve this, otherwise he is going to jail" I got a emergency call from my brother with worries that I was gonna be in the slammer. I called UP and asked why they were contacting my relatives after they had all asked not to be called again. The guy again swore at me and tried to pull the authority card again, acting like he was a lawyer. When in reality UP is just a small call center that fills its positions through temp agencies. Just plain cheesy..
So, time has passed again and today I called UP (please remember to call the FL office and not the 800 number. I have moved into a new job, and oddly enough it is with a large law firm that deals in real debt collection (like mortgages and big money, not 200 dollar pay day loans). Several of the lawyers that I work with have been briefed on what has happened and all of them are eager to file suit. How nice, you fix peoples computers and they sue debt collectors for you.
Additionally I contacted the original "lender" that submitted the file to UP and he even said they have immoral collection practices and in no way reflect their company. The debt was from 6 years ago, and it has been resolved and the guy was actually really nice about it.
On to what everyone needs to know and how to handle UP. First, you have to document every phone call you have with them. Who you talked to, when you talked to them, and EVERY word they say. UP spoke to me like I would expect a drunk living in an alley to talk to anyone. Secondly, the minute they tell you "your gonna be arrested" it is already over. That threat from a collection agency is numero uno on the list of illegal practices.
If you are being contacted at your work and you ask them not to contact you there again THEY HAVE TO ABIDE, otherwise that is the second big violation. And here is the third step, Ask for written proof that the debt is yours and ask that it be sent certified mail to your address. Document that request and wait thirty days. If you do not get the mail, it is a non issue. Collection agencies must provide this information by law and if they do not comply within thirty days the debt is dismissed (maybe I'm wrong on this one, but I doubt you will ever see mail).
So, if you have read this. Take a deep breath. If you do owe for something, contact the original issuer of said "loan" and work something out with them. I hope it helps, and please keep your eyes peeled for my update on UP. I am going to see them in court, but not for my debt. I am filing a lawsuit. It is being handled pro-bono. Sad thing is UP knows that most people they prey on don't have the legal resource to follow up. Until some guy like me starts working with a law firm, and makes friends real quick.
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